UBC Okanagan professor appointed editor of Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences

The Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences at UBC Okanagan is the new home of the prestigiousCanadian Journal of Earth Sciences. Dr. John Greenough, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has been appointed editor of the monthly academic journal, published by the National Research Council Canada.

Since 1963 this prestigious peer-reviewed journal has reported on a diverse range of current research in geophysics, paleontology, geology, tectonics, and many other aspects of Earth sciences. Greenough served as an associate editor for the past eight years. With his appointment as editor the journal's home moves from the University of Alberta to UBC Okanagan.

"Being asked to serve as editor of the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences is a huge honour and an indication of the enormous respect John has earned in his field. It is also a reflection of the tremendous depth of talent in our Faculty," says Dr. Bernard Bauer, Dean of the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. "We are quickly asserting our presence on the national stage as a school with considerable talent and potential, and John's editorial appointment to this important peer-reviewed journal will enhance our reputation as a Canadian leader in the Earth and environmental sciences."

Well-known across Canada, Greenough's own research specializes in the trace-element geochemistry of rocks created in Earth's mantle, but he has published papers on many scientific topics -- from wine to archeology.

"This is a very broad journal covering a huge range," Greenough says. "It reflects where the Earth and environmental sciences are going today. We can have people publishing on everything from pollution to the age of the oldest rocks in the world, and from how to find an oil reserve to using geo-science techniques for archeological research.

"When one considers how vital Canadian Earth resources are to our economy and to all humans on Earth, or think about how important climate and the environment are to everyone, it is obvious why the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences is such an essential and important publication."

Reflecting current global issues, future editions of the journal may focus a bit more on climate research, Greenough says.

"I'd like to see more on climate change," he notes. "The views that geoscientists bring are quite different than, say, that of a chemist – we have a view of how the Earth's climate has operated in the past." And that, he adds, can help in understanding future climates.